Vintage VHS #2

I have hundreds of videotapes, and I still watch them. And just because most people no longer have the ability of watching what I’ve recorded over the years is no excuse not to review the programing. Each installment of this “Vintage VHS” series will cover one videotape in my collection from beginning to end. Most tapes are an eclectic mix of TV shows and movies recorded over the last 25 years.

Tape Type: TDK

Recording Speed: EP

Year(s) Recorded: 1998, 1999

Video quality: Not great during the Larry Sanders episodes

Audio quality: The usual tape hiss, with some extra pops and snaps towards the end of the tape

Degree of embarrassment at having recorded what I did: none, though I may get some looks at having 10 minutes of a children’s show on the tape

0:00:00    Cartoon Planet

What began as a wide assortment of cartoons and other semi-related non-kids shows would ultimately become Adult Swim. It all started with “Space Ghost: Coast to Coast,” but, always looking to further exploit the characters Turner owned the licensing to, a kid-friendly spinoff entitled Cartoon Planet was born. Space Ghost and Zorak, along with Brak (who would later have a spinoff of his own) hosted a very random show with clips from older cartoons butted up against new (and very original) comedy and songs from Tad Golstal and his crew. If you watch any “Cartoon Planet” and it begins to make sense to you, check yourself into rehab.

0:10:30    Space Ghost: Coast to Coast – “Intense Patriotism”

“Open wide, Lady Liberty!” So begins Space Ghost’s ill-fated move to America. Space Ghost’s glorious absence of sophistication is pointed out by Jeff Foxworthy, and the Ghost Planet crash lands, not in the US, but in Mexico, leaving the gang stuck at the border.

0:22:09    Space Ghost: Coast to Coast – “Cahill”

As a storm brews outside the studio, Space Ghost’s fear of lightning causes problems. SNL’s Garrett Morris and CBS weatherman Mark McEwen do not minimize Tad’s fears.

0:33:48    The Larry Sanders Show – “Roseanne’s Return”

Larry and his staff try to focus on the show, but, like the rest of America, they are preoccupied by the OJ Simpson trial. Meanwhile, Larry has to deal with his personal life clashing with his professional life when Roseanne, his ex-girlfriend, is booked as a guest on the show. Fun cameo by Chevy Chase explaining why his talk show was canceled.

0:58:37    The Larry Sanders Show – “Jeannie’s Visit”

Larry’s ex-wife (Megan Gallagher) shows up in the middle of a show and enters into a punishing relationship with someone who isn’t Larry. This episode was memorable for many reasons, not the least of which because it features one of my favorite slurs: “Talentless fat f*ck.” I’ve loved Megan Gallagher since I first saw her in “Millennium.” This is certainly a departure from that character.

1:25:25    The Daily Show – 12/17/98-Last Craig Kilborn episode

The year 1998 seemed like a much simpler time. The only scandal in Washington concerned a certain intern. Stephen Colbert wore a bow tie. And the host of “The Daily Show” was a self-centered egomaniac. Alas, unless you recorded it like I did, clips of the Kilborn years of the show are not available online. Richard Lewis took on the last of the show’s “Five Questions.” And, in the end, Craig just wanted to dance… dance… dance.

1:47:07    The Daily Show – 1/11/99-First John Stewart episode (watch Stewart’s first “Headlines” segment)

Comedy Central partied like it was 1999 when it chose a self-effacing failed talk show host as the new front man for “The Daily Show.” I note that earlier installments of Stewart-as-host feature him a lot more coy and tongue-in-cheek than his current persona, which is more abrasive. It is almost as if he tried to follow the path that was already laid down, then realized that wasn’t who he is and wisely changed course.

2:08:53    Dennis Miller Live – Robin Williams

This rerun of a 1994 installment of Dennis’ HBO series featured Robin Williams being himself, uncensored as everyone is on HBO. I chose not to record the monologue and/or rant, so the bulk of what I’ve captured on tape is Williams literally bouncing around the studio for five minutes, followed by Miller attempting to reign him him before finally saying “f*ck it” and letting Williams continue to roam free, as if he had a choice.

2:24:09    Dennis Miller Live – Al Franken

Just over a decade ago, Minnesota’s newest senator was nothing more than a humble comedy writer/performer. Politically, Franken and Miller couldn’t be farther apart. But in 1999, they seemed perfectly in sync. Again, no rant recorded, but the topic was computers, specifically the fear of Y2K… the technological menace that turned out not to be.

2:36:04    George Carlin: You Are All Diseased

Carlin was probably the best standup comedian who ever lived. In terms of performance, longevity, and the ability to blow the roof off of a building, I cannot think of his equal. This HBO special showcased the later-years Carlin – the angry, ranting lunatic with ideas that were way beyond “politically incorrect.” By this point, his stand up revolved around the simple notion that mankind was a mistake – a scourge on this planet. He welcomed the fall of man. Personally, I wish he’d lived long enough to cover the recent Michael Jackson stupidity, because, after watching what this nation devolved into this week, I now agree with Carlin that the humanity has failed as a species.

3:38:28    The X Files – “Two Fathers”

Touted as the big “secrets revealed” episode, this two-parter contained a lot of exposition from the “cancer man.” I was a huge fan of the big conspiracy story arc, and less of a fan of the stand-alone freak-of-the-week episodes. This episode was one of my favorites, right up there with the 2nd season opener. To see Chris Carter (who shares the same birthday as me, hence the “ten-thirteen” production tag at the end of each episode) connect the dots astounded me. Unlike someone like, say, the morons behind “24,” Carter’s universe is intricate and highly planned. And, before I get a visit from the men in white coats, it isn’t that I believe in alien cover ups and government conspiracies – it is that Carter makes it so much fun to want to believe them.

5:05:40    The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder – Craig Kilborn and Dennis Prager

This was certainly an unusual installment of Snyder’s late night talk show. It began with a somewhat stilted conversation between Snyder, the then host of the show, and Kilborn, who was poised to replace him. Snyder can handle almost any interview situation, but what he struggles with is not telling it like it is. He had an honesty with his viewers that I’ve not seen in other hosts, and to see him being kind and genial while CBS was forcing him out was tough. Snyder, master of the subtle dig, spent the last few weeks of his tenure at CBS accidentally mispronouncing Craig’s last name. Snyder’s other guest, Dennis Prager, used to be one of the bastions of decent conservative radio. I am not kidding. But during the most recent presidential race, Prager’s radio show took a turn towards the dark side. He began screaming into the microphone and vilifying the left. Frankly, it was beneath him, and it saddened me as I had great respect for the man. Watching him on this show reminded me of how funny and insightful Dennis can be.

5:39:19    NYPD Blue – “What’s Up, Chuck?”

This episode marked the return of Daniel Benzali’s semi-recurring character James Sinclair, following his removal from Bochco’s other series, “Murder One.” Sinclair was a cutthroat lawyer who talked smooth and felt at home with the criminal element. He appears in this episode seeking a deal when one of his clients turned out to have information about the squad’s missing PAA (office assistant). Though the topics covered in this episode range from murder to a drug overdose, there is a generous amount of humor to be found.

6:23:28    Star Trek Voyager – “Dark Frontier”

Voyager was a show with a lot of potential, but only rarely did it live up to it. Of course, rarely is still a better average then never, which was how often Enterprise lived up to its potential. This two-part installment was a well conceived way of moving the ship closer to Earth. My biggest regret about this series was that they didn’t do a season (or even a single episode) about the crew having to adapt to life back in the alpha quadrant (though a brilliant set of paperback novels attempted to chronicle the what ifs). To me, that would have been a juicy bit of character exploration. Bits of this encounter with the Borg actually work better than the Next Generation film about the Borg.

7:55:25    The Late Show with David Letterman – Jewel

I have not watched an episode of “The Late Show” since the recent Palin unpleasantness (which is redundant, but oh well). I’m still not happy with Letterman’s decision, so it was a good thing that he only appears in this brief clip from his show to introduce the musical performance by Jewel. As a recent arrival to Pacific Beach, a small community in San Diego, I’m almost expected to be fan of Jewel’s music, since performing in the community’s bars and coffee houses is how she broke into the business. Fortunately, I’ve been a fan of hers for years, since she is both stunningly attractive and staggeringly smart. Her album “0304” stands as the best example of musical parody I’ve ever heard, better than Al Yankovic and Spinal Tap. She actually managed to make fun of the pop music scene while simultaneously attaining the top spot on the pop chart (largely because few caught on to the fact the album and subsequent videos were parody/satire).